Notes from the Rotary Meeting 12.30pm Thursday, June 4, 2026.

President Olaf chaired the meeting and welcomed Rotarians 

Olaf informed everyone that Corner Brook Rotarians have been invited to the 2026 Academic Awards Ceremony at CBRHS to be held on June 18 at 6.30pm.

The Rotary Scholarship will be presented at this time

Rotary Club of Dartmouth have sent follow up information to clubs in the district regarding support of for a Rotary Global Grant Scholarship for Keira Cassidy who is hoping to attend Cambridge University in the fall to pursue a Master’s Program in Environmental Policy.

 

 After lunch Olaf introduced the guest speaker Dr Robert Scott, Interim Dean of the School of Science and the Environment at Grenfell Campus and Director of the Bonne Bay Aquarium and Research Station.  Dr Scott grew up in Ontario, and he came to Grenfell Campus in 2008. He has been involved with the Bonne Bay Aquarium and Research Starion since 2013, This station is part of Grenfell Campus, Memorial University and is a marine ecology research, teaching and conference venue in Norris Point, Bonne Bay. Bob illustrated his talk with slides.

He began by giving the history of the station which began in 1969 when it was established by McGill University as a field station. The station was taken over in 1972 totally by Memorial University.  Dr Robert Hooper helped to convert a 2-story house with a fishing store into a marine teaching and research facility. Dr Scott showed several slides of the original buildings and facilities as he spoke about how basic the facilities were. The facility outgrew its space resulting in 2002 the official opening of new Bonne Bay Marine Centre built on the original site

   Bob went on to discuss the many varied uses of the buildings now which includes a public aquarium, research labs, dorms for students and accommodation for faculty as well as a teaching lecture theatre. This theatre is well used throughout the year for lectures, concerts, movies in the winter months and other events.

He mentioned last year at the touch tank, visitors could see sea urchins wearing little 3-D printed hats. This caught media attention. Sea urchins naturally pick up random objects like shells, pebbles, algae including even little hats to put on top of themselves for survival.

 Bob continued by looking how the station fulfills MUN’s Pillars of Scholarship – Teaching, Research and Engagement. He continued by talking about the Arts residencies. He noted the Bonne Bay Aquarium and Research Station offers highly artist residencies, including an Arts and Science residency and a Gros Morne Playwrights residency These programs allow artist time with researchers, and to explore the local area in which to develop new work. The 2025-256 recipients will have their work on display at the station. One recipient last year of a residency Karen Stentaford won the 2026 Canadian Scotiabank Photography Award. He concluded his talk by speaking of other works involving the Bonne Bay area.

 Bob answered several questions before being thanked for his interesting, informative and fascinating talk before the meeting adjourned.